Filmmaker Michael Moore wasn’t happy when his newest film, Where to Invade Next, was branded with an R rating. The MPAA was unfair to Moore’s latest, and after attempt to appeal the rating, his request for a PG-13 has been denied.

Learn more about the Where to Invade Next rating after the jump.

Having seen Where to Invade Next, I can tell you this documentary does not deserve the R rating. The film received the rating for “language, some violent images, drug use and brief graphic nudity,” but these moments of drug use and language are so inconsequential I can’t even recall those scenes from Where to Invade Next.

It’s amazing how 25 years have passed — we invented the internet, gay marriage is legal and we elected an African American President of the United States, but the MPAA is still intent on censoring footage that is available from any evening network news show. This film has been widely praised by critics for its warmth and humor and optimism. What is the real reason I keep getting all these ‘R’ ratings? I wish the MPAA would just be honest and stick a label on my movies saying: “This movie contains dangerous ideas that the 99% may find upsetting and lead them to revolt.

I’m not even a fan of the film, but to say Where to Invade Next is unsuitable for anyone under the age of 17 is flat-out nuts. There’s nothing inappropriate in this documentary. The Hollywood Reporter says the appeal was denied, but doesn’t offer any details beyond that.

Here’s the official plot synopsis from TIFF:

Michael Moore understands the art of provocation. From Roger & Me to Bowling for Columbine to Fahrenheit 9/11, he’s been ahead of the cultural curve with films that galvanized audiences and escalated box-office records.

Now, six years since his last film and with another US election around the corner, he delivers a fresh surprise that feels current yet perfectly timeless. Filming abroad without drawing attention from American media, Moore reunites his A-team, including producers Carl Deal and Tia Lessin (directors of the Oscar-nominated Trouble the Water), and brings us a funny and provocative work that’s guaranteed to stir up conversation.

The United States’ long history of invading countries and pushing agendas has produced results that are, to say the least, mixed. What if the US could do a better job at invading? That’s the premise for this film, which sends Moore on an epic journey.

Americans may be known as talkers, but Moore actually listens and he’s a magnet for memorable characters. Their dialogues are revelatory, poignant, and hilarious. The film builds momentum toward a culmination that resonates with hard-earned hope.

In the break since his previous film, 2009’s Capitalism: A Love Story, Moore has nurtured his cinematic passions as co-founder of the Traverse City Film Festival and a champion of other directors. Whatever else he’s been doing in that time, it has had a restorative effect on his filmmaking. Where to Invade Next conveys a sense that he’s been saving up his energies to create something really special. Rather than following the predictable motions of partisan politics, he reframes the conversation around hot-button issues in a highly entertaining and subversive way.

Where to Invade Next opens in New York and Los Angeles on December 23rd and opens nationwide January 15th.